Travel News 17/11 Conde Nast Traveler lists Long Bien Market a world's best Conde Nast Traveler named the Long Bien wholesale market in Hanoi located under the famous Long Bien Bridge that was repeatedly bombed and repaired during the war with America on its list of the world top 7 street markets. Heralded by the Communist party as a symbol of Vietnam’s resilience, today the bridge watches over a buzzing hive of vendors selling live frogs and sweet mangosteens. Since this is a daily market, it’s best to make your way here before sunrise, the leading travel magazine reported. The Long Bien market has long boasted itself the most important trading venue in Ba Dinh district, and the country’s second largest market, just behind the Dong Xuan market. Rounding out the top 7 markets were Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai, India; Souks of Marrakech in Marrakech, Morocco; El Alto Open-Air Market in La Paz, Bolivia; Livestock market in Bukhara, Uzbekistan; Kejetia Market in Kumasi, Ghana; and Mercado 20 de Noviembre in Oaxaca, Mexico. Moc Chau National Tourism Zone development plan ratified The Prime Minister has approved a master plan for the development of the Moc Chau National Tourism Zone in the northern mountainous province of Son La by 2020, with a vision to 2030. Under the plan, the zone, covering 206,150 hectares in Moc Chau and Van Ho districts, will be built into a key area for developing tourism in Son La in particular and the whole northern midland and mountainous region in general. It will feature diversified and unique tourism products with high competitiveness in combination with natural landscapes and ethnic cultural identities. The zone is expected to welcome 1.2 million holidaymakers by 2020 and 3 million by 2030, generating revenues of 1.5 trillion VND (71.4 million USD) and 6 trillion VND (285.7 million USD) respectively. It will target visitors from the Red River Delta and the northern midland and mountainous region as well as those from foreign markets such as Western Europe, Northern America, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia . The zone will include three key tourism centres namely the Moc Chau convalescence centre, the Moc Chau eco-tourism centre and the Moc Chau recreational centre. Community-based tourism villages will be formed in Dong Sang, Muong Sang, Tan Lap communes in Moc Chau district and Chieng Khoa commune in Van Ho district. Hai Duong’s Stork Island becomes national relic site The People’s Committee of Thanh Mien district in northern Hai Duong province held a ceremony on November 16 to receive a certificate recognising its Dao Co (Stork Island) as a national relic site. Stork Island, comprising of two islets covering 67 hectares, is located in the middle of An Duong Lake in Chi Lang Nam commune, Thanh Mien district. It is now home to a large number of flora and fauna species. Each year from the ninth lunar month to the fourth of next year, thousands of storks, herons and birds flock to the island to feed and lay eggs. It has become an attractive eco-tourism destination of Hai Duong province and the Red River Delta region at large, suitable for field trips of students and researchers. Additionally, its surrounding areas have several historical sites like temples, pagodas and traditional trade villages. In the province’s tourism development master plan, Stork Island will be part of the core tourism route. The province requested Thanh Mien district to focus on protecting the environment, and effectively implementing eco-tourism development plans on the island with a view to turning it into a historical and ecological tourist attraction. Bang Lang stork sanctuary- special tourist destination The Bang Lang stork sanctuary in Thot Not district has boasted itself one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. Historically it has attracted a lot of visitors, especially foreigners, who reported they enjoyed watching its beautiful nature and the daily life of the many types of birds and storks. Storks have resided at the sanctuary since 1983 and more than 300,000 storks of nearly 20 varieties have been cited in it. Recently, due to natural changes and poaching, the number of stork in Bang Lang sanctuary has dropped significantly. Visitors said they hoped that the sanctuary would be a preservation area for more kinds of birds and storks in the future. Local travel agents seek opportunity in Philippines Representatives from 35 Vietnam travel agents on November 12 met their Filipino partners in Manila to study the market and seek cooperative opportunities. At the meeting, representatives from 46 Filipino travel agents, hotels, resorts and aviation agents introduced their new products and services to Vietnamese partners. Do Xuan Ngoan, General Director of Hon Gai Tourism Joint Stock Company in Hanoi, said he paid more attention to the Filipino landscape attractions such as Manila, Cebu and Buracay. He added that the Philippines is a potential market as Thailand and Singapore are now also popular with Vietnam visitors, who want to discover new places. Ngoan asserted the meeting provided a good chance for travel agents from two countries to exchange information and establish cooperative ties. On the occasion, the Vietnamese delegation made fact-finding tours of El Nido and Puerto Princesa islands in Palawan. Spanish tourists keen on spending holiday in Vietnam Vietnam is the top destination of Spanish visitors last summer, according to Spanish Atrapalo travel agent. The online Spanish booking agent also reported that after Vietnam, the US and India attract much attention from Spanish holidaymakers. Its statistics showed that Asia is the most attractive destination that tourists book tours from June and August. According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO), last year Vietnam received nearly 33,200 Spanish visitors, a year-on-year increase of 6%. In the first ten months of this year, the number of Spanish visitors to Vietnam jumped 24% against the same period last year to nearly 34,200 people. Hue welcomes 6th Royal Caribbean cruise liner Hue continues to grow its cruise tourism sector, with the arrival of the sixth Royal Caribbean cruise ship this year docking at Chan May port on November 15, carrying more than 1,000 visitors from the US, UK, Canada and Australia. During their stay, the voyagers arriving on the Celebrity Millennium, are scheduled to visit historical sites such as the tomb of Tu Duc, Thien Mu pagoda and the capital of the Nguyen Lords and attend a Hue royal court concert. They will depart Chan May port at 19.00 the same day. The Celebrity Millennium is one of the world’s leading luxury cruise ships, equipped with all the latest in modern facilities including dining room, bar, movie theatre, swimming pool, spa, shopping mall and ballroom. Daily Mail names Six Senses the world’s most romantic hotel room The UK's second biggest-selling daily newspaper Daily Mail has named Water Villa 5 of five-star resort Six Senses Con Dao in Ninh Van Bay as the most romantic bedroom in the world. It was voted by judges at this year’s Smith Hotel Awards. The annual awards ceremony, which was hosted by boutique guide and booking agent Mr & Mrs Smith, pitted more than 950 hotels and resorts in 12 categories. More than 20,000 members of the public voted for their favourite stays. The shortlists were then put to a panel of three judges in each category. The room has beaten Suit 57 of Viceroy Hotel in New York City to receive the prestigious award. “Romance comes in many guises – and there are no hard and fast rules for creating the perfect boudoir. But some things we can all agree on: it has to delight, excite, and surprise”, the judges say. ‘Water Villa 5 is the pick of the bunch, with an infinity-edge plunge pool set seductively into the rocks, a private ladder leading into the ocean, and rustic-luxe good looks that conjure a cocoon of pure castaway romance.” Covering 154 square meters, the room consists a mini wine cellar, plunge pool, split level layout, private sunbathing deck, handcrafted bathtub and dedicated 24-hour butler service. Luxury cruise line brings 2,200 visitors to Vietnam The Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ Celebrity Millennium cruise ship carrying about 2,200 foreign visitors docked at Hon Gai port in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province on November 12. After docking, the holidaymakers, mainly from the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia, joined tours to discover landscapes in Ha Long Bay, Yen Tu Mountain, and Hai Phong city and Hanoi in the north. As scheduled, they will leave for the central province of Thua Thien-Hue province on November 13 and then Ba Ria-Vung Tau province in the south on November 16. The visit was arranged by Vietnam’s leading tour operator Saigontourist. In the first ten months of this year, Saigontourist welcomed over 171 cruise ships with about 194,600 international tourists to Vietnam. Celebrity Millennium is one of the world’s leading luxury cruise ships, equipped with modern facilities including dining room, bar, movie theatre, swimming pool, spa, shopping mall and ballroom. Seminar discusses responsible tourism development The EU-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme has reaped positive results by raising public awareness of the environment and culture, reducing the negative impacts from tourism development and generating incomes for labourers.   This was shared by delegates at a seminar on November 13 staged in Hanoi by the European Union (EU) the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Ha Van Sieu, VNAT deputy general director stated the tourism sector still faces a lot of challenges, noting that responsible tourism development should be widely responded by all concerned parties and all economic sectors to improve the tourism sector’s competitive edge in the region and the world. A joint statement on sustainable responsible tourism in Vietnam was adopted at the seminar which emphasizes six major pillars in the responsible tourism policy including state management, enhancement of competitive capacity in sustainable markets, tourism activities for socio-economic development and public awareness about sustainable tourism and development of a highly-qualified staff for cultural heritage protection and promotion. Bac Giang wakes up tourism potential Located 50km north of Hanoi, Bac Giang province is considered to be well-suited to develop tourism, especially due to its good transport connections, including road, railway and waterway infrastructure. Bac Giang province boasts a wealth of historical and cultural tradition with around 2,230 relic sites, including Vinh Nghiem pagoda where Truc Lam, the Zen Buddhist sect, was founded by King Tran Nhan Tong in the 13th century. The pagoda in Yen Dung district now preserves more than 3,000 woodblocks, which were recognised as a world heritage. Quan Ho (love duet singing) and Ca Tru (ceremonial signing) singing were recognised as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. In addition to its 500 traditional festivals held every year, the province preserves a number of ethnic minority cultural practices, such as the San Chi, the Cao Lan, the Nung, and the Tay. Bac Giang is also renowned for its traditional craft villages along the north bank of the Cau River, such as Tho Ha ceramics, Van wine making and local specialities. Apart from its geographic advantage located in the midst of the country’s major economic development-tourism centres such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Lang Son and Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang is endowed with beautiful landscapes, like the Suoi Mo eco-tourism site, Khuon Than and Cam Son lakes, West Yen Tu nature reserve, and the Khe Ro primary forest with its diverse flora and fauna. Aware of the role that the tourism industry plays in socio-economic development, Bac Giang has carried out a number of programmes, projects and master plans on the development of tourism with a vision to 2030, including plans for the conservation of relics and nature reserves, personnel training and tourism promotion. The province spent nearly 100 billion VND from its own budget and mobilised tens of billions VND from the public to restore and upgrade cultural-historical relics as well as preserving different art forms and intangible cultural heritage, creating a basis for the sector’s development. Thanks to these efforts, the number of visitors to the province has increased, with an annual growth rate of 12-15 percent in recent years. However, tourism in Bac Giang has not yet reached its full potential due to inappropriate investment; a lack of tourism agencies, human resources, and specific tourism products; and poor infrastructure. To create breakthroughs in tourism development, Bac Giang has set out a catalogue of measures for the near future, including implementing planning and managing projects, enhancing tourism linkages, strengthening communication and promotion efforts, developing tourism products and human resources, and preserving culture and creating incentives. Bac Giang aims to welcome more than 400,000 tourists in 2015, creating jobs for nearly 4,000 labourers and contributing to socio-economic development in the province. Phu Yen attracts visitors for its wild beauty Although Phu Yen is not quite a well-known destination in Vietnam’s tourism map, the province is surely “a promised land” thanks to its wild but romantic landscapes, the Saigon Times Daily reported. There are numerous nature-endowed scenic spots in the south-central province for visitors to explore, including unspoiled beaches. The provincial capital city of Tuy Hoa is adjacent to the sea. Beaches there are normally crowded with people going swimming when the sun begins to cast its first light or go down beyond the horizon. Watching the vast blue sea and white smooth sand can help people relieve themselves of the tiredness after working for long hours. Phu Yen has some renowned tourism spots including Da Dia Reef and Dai Lanh. Cape as the country’s easternmost point. Da Dia Reef which was recognised as a National Heritage Site looks like an orderly beehive. For a long time, the reef has fascinated anyone paying a visit with a host of legends and stories about the site. Da Dia Reef is famous because the landscape is made of thousands of pentagonal rocks, causing passers-by to stop and contemplate the unusual and magnificent work of nature. Meanwhile, Dai Lanh Cape where visitors catch the first rays of sunlight on the east coast of the country offers a special feeling. There, one side is the green mountains and forests while the other side is the deep ocean with its blue colour combined with the light blue colour of the sky as well as multi-shaped vertical cliffs. Under the cape is Mon Beach, a very clean and stunning beach where freshwater flowing from high mountains creates a lovely picture. The province has many large and small beaches that are described as primitive. Some beaches untouched by visitors are where local fishermen set sail to catch fish. Long Thuy Beach has swaying coconut trees while a fishing village is located in Vung Bau Beach. Bang Beach runs along the rock reef. Phu Yen also possesses several attractive roads. One leading to Da Dia Reef undulating through mountains and forests overlooks hidden villages, busy markets and small houses scattered around. The road to Dai Lanh Cape is larger, running through Ca Pass to other famous heritage sites. Such winding roads along the mountainside and through the forest surely bring a sense of adventure to visitors. It takes just a few minutes on foot to reach Nhan Mountain where there is a Champa-style temple. In daytime, tourists can gaze at the panoramic view of Tuy Hoa city, Binh Ngoc flower village, Da Bia Mountain, the East Sea and two bridges crossing the Da Rang River. During night time, they can admire the shimmering landscape as lights are turned on. Phu Yen is also attractive to people owing to its signature Ninh Hoa Nem (Ninh Hoa meat roll), girdle-cakes served with muong fish, O Loan cockles and Phu Yen steamed savory rice cakes. All these dishes have unique flavours of Phu Yen province where human and nature are closely bonded. Efforts called to develop awareness of responsible tourism There is a need to develop an awareness of responsible tourism when it is viewed as the cornerstone to promote the hospitability industry in a sustainable manner, heard a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on November 13. The seminar, co-organised by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and the European Union, discussed how to develop responsible tourism steadily along with scrutinising t he EU-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development (ESRT) programme (EU Project). According to EU Project Director Vu Quoc Tri, a national policy framework for responsible tourism should be laid down and State management should be drastically improved in order to nurture the perpetual growth of the tourism industry. Meanwhile, VNAT Deputy General Director Ha Van Sieu stressed the need for the broader involvement of stakeholders and society in creating fresh images for Vietnam’s tourism and enhancing the sector’s competitiveness regionally and globally. Participants proposed integrating responsible tourism into the planning and management of tourism activities in the country. Tourism development in spotlight A tourism conference held in HCM City on Thursday emphasised the important roles that Vietnamese government and all stakeholders have in contributing to sustainable tourism development. Vu Quoc Tri, programme director of the EU-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development (ESRT), said to achieve responsible tourism the country needed to improve leadership and management of natural and cultural resources, set standards for responsible tourism, build human-resource capacity, implement new legislation, and provide leadership and marketing activities. Tri spoke on Thursday at the Conference on Sustainability of Responsible Tourism Development in Viet Nam, organised by ESRT, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) He stressed that a policy framework was needed at the national level, and that commitment from all stakeholders was crucial in achieving responsible tourism. Kai Partale, an ESRT tourism-sector specialist, said that ESRT had carried out a survey this year of 1,550 international and 1,631 domestic visitors at Sapa, Ha Long, Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An to discern demographic characteristics, travel preparation and activities, among others. The results showed that sources of information for both international and domestic tourists came mainly from the internet (59.8 and 46.7 per cent, respectively), and word of mouth (33.7 and 32.3 per cent). Factors considered important to those surveyed were nature, landscape, atmosphere, dining, accommodations and weather, the survey found. Tourism services considered included tour guides, health spa and massage services, tourism information, pick-up services and public transportation. The survey results showed that Viet Nam should focus more on market surveys, marketing strategies, tourism branding and co-ordination of marketing activities, Partale said. Marketing objectives in the short term should position the country as a must-visit tourism destination in Southeast Asia, and ensure that it remains the preferred holiday destination for local residents, he added. In addition, marketing should target growth segments and new markets that can be cost-effective to reach, and should strive to increase visitor length of stay as well as well as expenditures, and attract return visitors. Over the long term, the country should launch an internationally recognised Viet Nam brand through all VNAT marketing activities, and enhance industry cooperation and confidence in VNAT marketing activities, he said. Partale also stressed that linking responsible tourism to destination marketing was needed in order to achieve effective marketing. Dr. Ha Thanh Hai, tourism organizational expert, said the endorsement and engagement of the private sector would also be helpful in destination marketing. Viet Nam a hit with Argentinean tourists Viviana Castro, director of the Argentina Chamber of Commerce, said Viet Nam has become an attractive tourist destination for Argentinean visitors in recent years, with an estimated 10,000 visitors coming from the Tango nation each year. Castro, who is director of Viditerra 1915 and Martin Lo Coco Co, said her travel company's customers are often satisfied beyond their initial expectation after their trip to the country. They are also surprised that Viet Nam has managed to develop so quickly after the long war. Her company plans to increase awareness in Argentina about Viet Nam's fascinating history and culture. A planned tour early next year will take her customers to Ha Noi, Ha Long Bay, Sa Pa, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, and HCM City. VNS/VNA/VOV